An election mistake saved a 75-year old woman's life

Independent candidate for local elections, Danny Meikle, with four young men who were delivering voting leaflets for him. (L-R): Billy Cowan (37), Lewis Meikle (18) grandson, Dan, Lewis Docherty (16), Donald Douglas (27). ( Independent candidate for local elections, Danny Meikle, with four young men who were delivering voting leaflets for him. (L-R): Billy Cowan (37), Lewis Meikle (18) grandson, Dan, Lewis Docherty (16), Donald Douglas (27). ( Independent candidate for local elections, Danny Meikle, with four young men who were delivering voting leaflets for him. (L-R): Billy Cowan (37), Lewis Meikle (18) grandson, Dan, Lewis Docherty (16), Donald Douglas (27). (Andrew Cawley/ DC Thomson) — Independent candidate for local elections, Danny Meikle, with four young men who were delivering voting leaflets for him. (L-R): Billy Cowan (37), Lewis Meikle (18) grandson, Dan, Lewis Docherty (16), Donald Douglas (27). (Andrew Cawley/ DC Thomson)

The 75-year-old suffered a horror fall and had been lying in agony for around 20 hours before the young heroes heard screams for help as they pounded the streets for Lanarkshire independent candidate Danny Meikle.

Only a twist of fate led Danny’s 18-year-old grandson Lewis and friend Lewis Docherty, 16, to the lady, as the teens had mistakenly gone to the wrong town to deliver leaflets for the Clydesdale constituency hopeful.

They quickly alerted Donald Douglas, 27, and 37-year-old Billy Cowan, who were leafleting nearby.

It’s believed the woman fell on Monday evening and was lying on the floor until her cries were heard on Tuesday afternoon.

Former Labour councillor Danny explained: “I’d asked them to go to Biggar to deliver leaflets, but they lifted the ones for Strathaven instead. If they hadn’t changed their route then who knows what might have happened – the lady could still have been lying there.

“I was wondering where they were when I got a phone call from my grandson explaining what had happened.

“When they opened the letterbox they heard the lady shouting for help and crying for them to come in, so they tried all the windows and doors but they were locked.

“They went back to the letterbox and said they would have to break a window.

“She said to do it, so Donald smashed a door pane and put his hand through to unlock it.

“She was in obvious pain and was frail and freezing cold, as well as being dehydrated.

“They took off their jackets and placed them over her and put another under her head.

“While they waited for the ambulance to arrive they got her a glass of water with a straw and reassured her. She was apologising for causing bother.

“Apparently she’d fallen at 7.30 the night before and it was around 3pm when the boys found her.”

The woman, believed to be 75, was taken to Hairmyres Hospital in nearby East Kilbride.

Danny said: “We called the hospital and were told she was comfortable. The boys have sent her a get well card. It gave them a shock – I think it made them think of their own grans.”

While Danny wasn’t elected on Thursday, he can be content in knowing some good came from his campaign.

He added: “I’m so proud of the boys for what they did and how they reacted.”

An NHS Lanarkshire spokesman said the woman was comfortable and in a stable condition.

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